Feds to Review Anaheim Police Killing of Unarmed Latino

A large crowd gathered in the area of City Hall to protest the recent shootings by the Anaheim Police Dept.

Federal officials will review two deadly police shootings in Anaheim after a fourth day of violent protests, according to the city’s mayor.

Mayor Tom Tait says he'll meet with members of the U.S. attorney's office and the FBI on Friday.

Authorities say as many as 1,000 demonstrators surged through downtown in the Southern California city Tuesday night, smashing windows on 20 businesses and setting trash fires. Police and patrol cars were pelted with rocks and bottles. Hundreds of police used batons, pepper balls and beanbag rounds.

Police say there were 24 arrests and at least five injuries to officers, media and demonstrators but none was serious.

The unrest was set off when police shot and killed 24-year-old Manuel Diaz on Saturday night. Police say Diaz was a known gang member, but he was unarmed when they shot him.

Police came upon him and another man in an alley and attempted to question him, but Diaz ran to the front of a police complex, where he threw a package that police say they think contained herion.

It is not clear why police opened fire on Diaz.

Diaz’s family filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking $50 million in damages. They are planning a press conference Wednesday.

Another deadly shooting involving Anaheim police occurred late Sunday after anti-gang officers spotted a gang member in a stolen sport utility vehicle. A brief pursuit ended when three people jumped from the SUV and ran, authorities said.

Anaheim residents have grown angry about the growing number of police-related shootings this year. They claim officers should use less deadly weapons rather than resorting to lethal force.

The back-to-back deaths over the weekend took the tally of shootings by police officers in this Orange County city to six so far this year, up from four a year before. Five of the incidents have been fatal.